Power operated gum massager and tooth brush

ABSTRACT

Two brush members, each having a set of bristles are supported from a housing and driven by gear and crank means so as to move the two sets of bristles in opposite directions along two generally oval paths. This provides a brush in which the sets of bristles, when in use for massaging the gums, will always move outwardly over the gums toward the crowns of the teeth thus avoiding brushing the gums back on the teeth, which might tend to cause them to recede.

United States Patent Forest ll. Barnett 2602 N. Balthnore, Tacoma, Wash.98407 [21 Appl. No. 809,303

[22] Filed Mmnll, 1969 [45] Patented July 13, 1971 [72] Inventor [S4]POWER OPERATED GUM MASSAGER AND TOO'I'HBRUSII JChllnglZDrlWlugFlp.

[S2] U.S.CL l28/62A, l5/22R [51] llLCl. A6lh7/00 [50] FlelrlolSeueh128/242.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,577,751 3/1926 Paschal]123/51 2,9l2,976 I 1/1959 Grund 128/62 3,204,469 9/1965 Spillers. 15/22X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,365,913 5/1964 France .1 15/22 Primary Examiner-L.W. Trapp Attorney-Fred Cw Matheny ABSTRACT: Two brush members, eachhaving a set of bristles are supported from a housing and driven by gearand crank means so as to move the two sets of bristles in oppositedirections along two generally oval paths. This provides a brush inwhich the sets of bristles, when in use for massaging the gums, willalways move outwardly over the gums toward the crowns of the teeth thusavoiding brushing the gums back on the teeth, which might tend to causethem to recede.

PATENTEDJUHSIH?! SHEET 1 BF 2 Fares! a. BQMerr PATENTEU Jun 3 m1 SHEET 2BF 2 INVENTOR. Fares) ff. 5 am el'l" POWER OPERATED GUM MASSAGER ANDTOOTH BRUSH SUM MARY OF THE INVENTION An object of my invention is toprovide a power driven gum massager and tooth brush of simple andellicient construction which can be used to massage the gums and brushthe teeth at a single operation.

Another object is to provide a power operated massager and tooth brushhaving sets of bristles used to both massage the gums and brush theteeth and in which said sets of bristles are always moved outwardly overthe gums, that is from the gums toward the crowns of the teeth thusavoiding all tendency to cause the gums to recede by pushing them backon the teeth.

Another object is to provide a power operated gum massager and toothbrush having two brush members each provided with a set of bristles, thebrush members being arranged so that the bristles of one can be appliedto the upper gums and teeth and the bristles of the other to the lowergums and teeth at the same time and in which the two sets of bristles,when they are in contact with the gums and teeth, alternately movetoward each other in making their massaging and brushing strokes and areretracted clear of the gums and teeth in other parts of their paths oftravel.

Another object is to provide a gum massager and tooth brush in which thetips of the sets of bristles move along generally oval paths, the majoraxes of which paths are in approximate alignment and in which the tipsof the bristlesare adapted to make successive strokes in an outwarddirection over the gums outwardly toward the crowns ofthe teeth.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view in elevation, with parts insection, showing a power operated gum massager and tooth brush embodyingmy invention.

FIG. 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in section takensubstantially on broken line 2-2 of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation looking in the direction of line 4-4 of FIG.I.

FIG. 5 is a detached small scale perspective view of a gear housing.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, with parts in section showing amodified form of the invention in which the brush part is of shorterlength and is provided with a shield.

FIG. '7 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of adriven gurn m assager and tooth brush of modified form.

FIG. 8 is a view partly in plan and partly in section takensubstantially on line 8-8 FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section takensubstantially on line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. I0 is an end elevation looking in the direction indicated by lineIll-l0 FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is an elevational view, on a larger scalethan FIGS. 7 toillustrating, partly by dash lines, the movement of parts of the device.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in sectionillustrating a modified form of the device shown in FIGS. 7 to II inwhich a shorter brush member is used and a shield is provided for saidbrush member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The power driven tooth brushcomprises a main frame and housing member including sidewalls IS, a backwall 16, a removable front wall 17 which is secured by screws l8 to thesidewalls I5 and a tubular hub l9 protruding from the rear or outer sideof the back wall I6. A tubular shank on "the forward end of a combinedmotor case and handle 2! fits within the housing hub 19 and hub 19 andshank 20 are rigidly secured together in any suitable way. Two smallenmeshed gear wheels 22 and 23 are disposed within the housing and arerespectively provided with rearwardly extending bearing pins 24 and 25which are joumaled in the back wall 16 and with larger forwardlyextending bearing hubs 26 and 27 which are journaled in the removablefront plate 17 of the housing. The hubs 26 and 27 are preferablyshouldered, FIG. I, and they terminate approximately flush with theouter face of the housing plate l7. A driven shafl 28 of a motorcontained in case 21 has a driving connection with the bearing pin 24 ofgearwheel 22.

A brush carrying or mounting plate or cup 30 is connected by a crankmember or pin 3i with forward end of each gearwheel hub 26 and 27. Eachcrank member 31 is preferably a shoulder screw threaded rigidly into itshub and extending through a suitable bearing hole 29 in the plate 30with its head on the outer or front side of said plate 30.

Each cup shaped mounting plate 30 is further provided, at a substantialdistance from its crank member 3], with a rigidly attached guide pin 32which operates in a slot 33 in the front housing plate l7. Each guidepin 32 can be a shouldered screw threaded into plate 30.

A brush comprising an enlarged base part 34, a shank 35 and atransversely extending bristle tuft or set of bristles 36 is secured toeach cup-shaped plate 30. The base part 34 of each brush member fitssnugly within the marginal flange of the cup-shaped plate 39 to which itis applied and is readily attached or detached by applying or removingthe screw 37. The two brushes are approximately parallel to each otherand their axes coincide substantially with the axes of respective crankmembers 3!. Each crank member 31 and guide pin 32 and the gearwheel andhub with which they cooperate have their axes parallel and inapproximately in common plane with the crank members 31 and guide pin 32positioned at opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the gearwheeland its hub. The two gears 22 and 23 are of equal size and the crankpins 31 are at substantially equal distances from the axes of the hubsby which they are carried. The gears 22 and 23 are meshed so that, whenthe two crank pins 31 are in a plane common to the axes of the two gearsthey will be positioned at the same sides of said gear wheel axes.

In the embodiment ofthe invention shown in FIG. 6 all parts are the sameas shown in FIGS. l to 5 and previously described except that the shanksof the two brushes, one of which is shown and numbered 40, are madeshorter and a brush shield 41 is secured to the housing and covers theupper or back portions of said brushes.

In operation of the brush shanks or handles 35, being in substantiallyaxial alignment with the crank members 31, will be moving inapproximately circular paths and in opposite directions. At the sametime the guide pin 32 of each frame plate will be moving in a straightline in its slot 33 and imparting a swinging movement to its frame plate30 and the brush member carried by said frame plate. The result of thesetwo movements is that the tips of the two bristle tufts 36 will be movedor revolved in oval or approximately elliptical paths in oppositedirections. This is best illustrated in FIG. 4 in which, if the point Pon the tip of the brush tuft 36 shown at the left is moving incounterclockwise direction in elliptical path 38 a corresponding point Pon the tip of the brush tuft 36 shown at the right will be moving in aclockwise direction in the elliptical path 39.

From the proceeding paragraph it will be apparent that as the brushtufts 35 move in their general elliptical paths 38 and 39 one of saidtufts will always be moving in one direction along an outer part of itspath while the other tuft will be moving in the same general directionalong the inner part of its path. This makes it possible to alternatelyapply a downward stroke of a brush tuft to the upper gums and teeth andan upward stroke ofthe brush tuft to the lower gums and teeth. Thismassages the gums in the correct direction and brushes the teeth. In theouter segments of their paths of travel the two bristle tufts 36 move inopposite directions but they are not moving in these outer segments atthe same time.

The modified form of invention shown in FIGS. 7 to l2 inclusivecomprises a housing formed of sidewalls 45, a back wall 46 and aremovable front wall 47 secured in position by screws 48. A hub 49 onback wall 46 receives a tubular part 50 on the forward end of a combinedmotor case and handle 51. Two small enmeshed gear wheels 52 and 53 haveaxial bearing pins 54 and 55 respectively on their real sides which arejournaled in suitable bushings in real housing wall 46 and said gearwheels have axial hubs 56 and 57 respectively of relatively large sizeon their forward side which are journaled in the front platev The shaft58 of a motor in case 51 has a direct driving connection with thebearing pin 54 of gear wheel 52.

The parts 45 to 58 inclusive are generally similar to prcviouslydescribed parts to 28 and they function in substan tially the samemanner.

A single brush carrying plate 60 is positioned in front of and in closeproximity to the front housing wall 47 and is connected by two crankmembers 61 and 62 herein shown to be screws, with the respective gearwheels 56 and 57. Crank members 61 and 62 are at approximately equaldistances from the axes of the gear wheels. Crank member 6l operates ina slot 63 in plate 60. Crank member 62 operates in a snugly fitting holein said plate 60. The gear wheels 52 and 53 are meshed so that when thecrank members are in a plane common to the axes of the two gear wheelsthey are always at the same sides ofsaid axes.

Two brush members, each comprising a shank 64 and a set of bristles 65are secured, each by a screw 66, to the plate 60. These brush membersare spaced apart and their shanks 65 are substantially perpendicular tothe plate 60 and are secured to the edge portion of the plate 60 shownlowermost in the drawings near the respective ends of said plate.

in operation, see FIG. 10, points P and P on the respective tips of thetwo sets of bristles 65 move in opposite directions along generally ovalend to end paths 58 and 69. In following paths 58 and 69 the tips of thebristles 65 move in a manner similar to that of the previously describedsets of bristles 36. When moving along the part of its path shownlowermost in FIG, 10 the tip of each set of bristles is in its outermostposition and when in the mouth can be caused to move over the gums andteeth in an outward direction, that is from the gums toward the outerends or crowns of the teeth. Thus it will massage the gums in thecorrect direction and will brush the teeth. Then moving along theretracted part of its path, shown as the upper part of ovals Y and '1"in FIG. 10, the tips of each set of bristles 65 is clear of the gums andteeth. Thus it will be apparent that while the tips of one set ofbristles 65 are massaging and brushing the upper gums and teeth the tipsof the other set of bristles can be massaging and brushing the lowergums and teeth and that the tips of the two sets of bristles 65 will bealternately stroking the gums and teeth by moving from the gums towardthe outer ends or crowns of the teeth. Also, this toothbrush can beapplied to either the upper or the lower gums and teeth at a suitableangle so that one set of bristles will move in an outward direction fromthe gums toward the crowns of the teeth in both massaging and brushingwhile the other set of bristles is moving across and brushing the crownsof the same teeth.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 12 is the same as thatshown in FIGS. 7 to It except that the shanks of its two brush members,one of which is shown and numbered 67, are made shorter and a shield 68is secured to the housing and partially covers the brushes.

I claim:

I. A power operated gum massager and tooth brush comprising a handle; ahousing rigid with one end of said handle, two enmeshed gear wheelsrotatively supported in said housing; driving means operativelyconnected with one of said gear wheels; two crank members rigid with therespective gear wheels, said crank members being at equal distances fromthe axes of the respective gear wheels and being positioned so they arealways at the same sides of the axes of the gear wheels when both crankmembers are in a plane common to the axes of the two gear wheels; twobrush carrying plates supported on the respective crank members formovement by said crank members; plate guide means at one side of thelocation where the crank member engages each plate, the plate guidemeans of each plate compelling a swinging movement of the plate as theplate is moved by the crank member connected therewith, and a brushmember carried by each brush carrying plate, each brush membercomprising a shank secured to and extending outwardly from the plate intransversely offset relation to the axis of the crank member connectedwith the plate; and a set of bristles carried by and extendingtransversely from the outer end portion of the shank, the shanks andsets of bristles of the two brush members being movable in oppositedirections along generally oval paths by said plates to massage the gumsand brush the teeth by moving from the gums outwardly toward the crownsof the teeth.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim I in which the brush member carriedby each plate and the guide means for compelling swinging movement ofthe plate are positioned at op posite sides of the axis about which thecrank member connected with the plate revolves and substantially inplane coincident with said axis and in which said guide means includes aslot radial to said axis and a pin operating in said slot.

3. A power operated gum massager and toothbrush com prising a handle; ahousing rigid with one end of said handle, said housing having a frontwall; two enmeshed gear wheels rotatively supported in said housing,said gear wheels having hub portions journaled in said front housingwall; driving means connected with one of said gear wheels; two crankmembers rigid with the hubs of the respective gear wheels, said crankmembers being positioned so they are always at the same sides of theaxis of the gear wheels when both crank members are in a plane common tosaid axis; a brush carrying plate supported by said crank members andpositioned adjacent the outer side of said front housing wall, one ofsaid crank members being rotatively journaled in one end portion of saidplate for moving the plate with the crank member and the other crankmember being slideable and rotatable within a slot in the other endportion of said plate; two generally parallel spaced-apart brush shanksconnected with said plate and extending outwardly therefrom; twoside-by-side sets of bristles carried by the outer end portions of saidbrush shanks and having tip portions adapted to contact the gums andteeth, said plate, when it is operated by said crank members, moving thetip portions of said sets of bristles in generally oval paths, therebythe tips of said sets of bristles can be applied to the gums and teethand caused to make successive strokes in an outward direction over thegums and teeth with the brush tips moving outwardly from the gums towardthe crowns of the teeth.

1. A power operated gum massager and tooth brush comprising a handle; ahousing rigid with one end of said handle; two enmeshed gear wheelsrotatively supported in said housing; driving means operativelyconnected with one of said gear wheels; two crank members rigid with therespective gear wheels, said crank members being at equal distances fromthe axes of the respective gear wheels and being positioned so they arealways at the same sides of the axes of the gear wheels when both crankmembers are in a plane common to the axes of the two gear wheels; twobrush carrying plates supported on the respective crank members formovement by said crank members; plate guide means at one side of thelocation where the crank member engages each plate, the plate guidemeans of each plate compelling a swinging movement of the plate as theplate is moved by the crank member connected therewith; and a brushmember carried by each brush carrying plate, each brush membercomprising a shank secured to and extending outwardly from the plate intransversely offset relation to the axis of the crank member connectedwith the plate; and a set of bristles carried by and extendingtransversely from the outer end portion of the shank, the shanks andsets of bristles of the two brush members being movable in oppositedirections along generally oval paths by said plates to massage the gumsand brush the teeth by moving from the gums outwardly toward the crownsof the teeth.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the brushmember carried by each plate and the guide means for compelling swingingmovement of the plate are positioned at opposite sides of the axis aboutwhich the crank member connected with the plate revolves andsubstantially in plane coincident with said axis and in which said guidemeans includes a slot radial to said axis and a pin operating in saidslot.
 3. A power operated gum massager and toothbrush comprising ahandle; a housing rigid with one end of said handle, said housing havinga front wall; two enmeshed gear wheels rotatively supported in saidhousing, said gear wheels having hub portions journaled in said fronthousing wall; driving means connected with one of said gear wheels; twocrank members rigid with the hubs of the respective gear wheels, saidcrank members being positioned so they are always at the same sides ofthe axis of the gear wheels when both crank members are in a planecommon to said axis; a brush carrying plate supported by said crankmembers and positioned adjacent the outer side of said front housingwall, one of said crank members being rotatively journaled in one endportion of said plate for moving the plate with the crank member and theother crank member being slideable and rotatable within a slot in theother end portion of said plate; two generally parallel spaced-apartbrush shanks connected with said plate and extending outwardlytherefrom; two side-by-side sets of bristles carried by the outer endportions of said brush shanks and having tip portions adapted to contactthe gums and teeth, said plate, when it is operated by said crankmembers, moving the tip portions of said sets of bristles in generallyoval paths, thereby the tips of said sets of bristles can be applied tothe gums and teeth and caused to make successive strokes in an outwarddirection over the gums and teeth with the brush tips moving outwardlyfrom the gums toward the crowns of the teeth.